BT Problems including wireless

Brief outline

Village got fibre couple years eastern european guy with little tools came to install some sockets for fibre and it was lightning quick wirelessly on an iphone for example it was a HH5.

As time went on it seemed to get slower and never really maintained the performance levels.

Dont have loads of devices in the house so any complaints to BT are usually met with you have too many devices or its your equipment thats faulty.

Of late I actually use my 4G on the phone as the performance is tragic, i think dial up felt less of a chore back in the day!

So I asked them for a new router but they wanted £60 for a HH6, I just bought a new one from someone to try it.

It actually seems worse!

I've tried leaving default....garbage and splitting the bands to 2.4 and 5ghz and connectiing to the 2.4 and still its rank.

The one think I have never got my head round or had BT give an viable answer is that while the download is erratic, mostly rank and never get near what your paying for...

The upload is usually very consistent and you get almost max speed you pay for.

Does this mean that ithe wi-fi side is actually good as surely if they wi-fi was rubbish then the upload would suffer?

Typial tests are

Download 6.9mpbs
Upload 18.82 mbps

Does it sound like there are just too much people connected at the exchange now, it points to a service issue to me but your general numpty you get on the phone line is never going to delve that deep.

I will add all this talk of wireless distance etc, again the BT line, we have paper thin walls and it doesnt actually seem to be any different from eithe standing next to router or away in another room

Any words of wisdom for the more experienced on here?

Words of wisdom - are the speeds poor if you connect using an Ethernet cable?

Thin walls if plasterboard usually include a foil backing which kills wireless signals

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Words of wisdom - are the speeds poor if you connect using an Ethernet cable?

Thin walls if plasterboard usually include a foil backing which kills wireless signals

Seems to be more consistent on the wired front, still can be poor at times, have the latest BT homeplugs for youview and it can break up.

The guy that was fitting the socket should have probably stuck it at the TV as opposed to the hall but guess his lack of tools and drill bits didn't help matters.

If wireless was an issue is there an explanation for the upload continually returning perfect results to the max speed that is quoted almost.

Also can we trust the bt speed tester as its funny how it always give more favourable resutls than speedtest.net, or maybe the latter is not to be trusted

BT Wholesale tester, don't bother.

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest and we record the throughput so you can see the ups and downs
speedtest.net can have a tendency to give a top quartile or better result.

Without seeing

a) Line stats
b) Speed tests at varying times
c) Eliminating Wi-Fi and HomePlug influences in tests

Hard to say much more.

Can you do some speedtests on ThinkBroadband for both wired and wireless and post them here (direct links to them rather than just the single result)? Are particular times of the day worse than others (ie do you get good results in the morning and worse in the evening)? What speed is your router connected at - does your router stay connected consistently or do you see disconnects)?

Homeplugs can also be prone to interference depending on the environment in the premises so speeds could be variable and ideally you would also do some tests from the home plug as well to see if they are performing properly.

If you have a couple of devices (preferably windows or mac) then you could do some file transfer tests between them which will tell you what your network speeds internally are like.

Also some people find that HomePlugs can cause interference with faster (FTTC/VDSL2) services.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Words of wisdom - are the speeds poor if you connect using an Ethernet cable?

Thin walls if plasterboard usually include a foil backing which kills wireless signals

Other point to note Andrew would be its the same walls etc as it was at install date and nothing has changed.

The wireless speed was 50 plus download on my phone too easily.

We were one of the first to be connected in the village, the only differences I see now, is that everyone else in the village is connected

As this issue has got more problematic now that more people have got internet near you it's either crosstalk from other lines or wireless interference as more people are using wireless routers.

Either way it's hard to know which is the issue without seeing the line stats.

I seriously doubt crosstalk has dropped line speeds from 50 Mbps to 10 Mbps and less

Indeed, my thinking is more towards wireless interference and using powerline adapters aren't helping either.

That would be extreme, but still possible especially if one or more are using split pairs.

I have one neighbour who causes me a loss of almost 10 Mbps when their modem is running - fortunately I am still up at 79.999 sync so there is no effect.

It could even be a line fault - but we haven't seen stats so have no idea what the line is synced at and we haven't seen speed tests so can't comment on them either. It appears all we can do is guess without any solid facts.

Split pairs in the tie pairs are fairly common, especially if the DSLAM has been subject to a knock down and resell and hasn't been rebuilt adequately

In reply to a post by ian72:

It could even be a line fault - but we haven't seen stats so have no idea what the line is synced at and we haven't seen speed tests so can't comment on them either. It appears all we can do is guess without any solid facts.

BT say no to line fault, however in my experience it's never a line fault, its always reaching your property flat out and its always your equipment or dodgy wiring etc.

So the TB line tests look a bit better, however the experience doesn't reflect that, trying to load up this to reply I was facing a black screen and looking for the wind up handle on the side to help speed things up.

What stats from the tests do you need exactly, anything specfic

So, what are your line stats?

Where are the wired speed test results?

If you want help, provide some detailed information for people to comment on.

In reply to a post by robertcrowther:

Indeed, my thinking is more towards wireless interference and using powerline adapters aren't helping either.

I've tried it too with losing the powerline adaptors, i will point out that it was only one at the router to feed I guess and one at the BT you view box.

Is there a way to check for interference or eliminate it, I have head BT routers are garbage but I have seen it perform well wirelessly in the past.

Is there a way to check for interference or eliminate it

Yes, provide the information we have been asking for. Line stats, speed test links on TBB (direct links to the speedtest), speed tests from various devices, file transfer tests on the internal network, etc. Each of those things has the potential to point us to where any issue may reside but without them we can't help you.

At the end of the test there is a Results Page button, click that and then copy/paste the link into a post on the forum.

No need to retype anything.

Checking for interference

Direct Ethernet test via a LAN port on the home hub (a) with other kit connected (b) with all wireless and power line kit turned off

In reply to a post by ian72:

Can you do some speedtests on ThinkBroadband for both wired and wireless and post them here (direct links to them rather than just the single result)? Are particular times of the day worse than others (ie do you get good results in the morning and worse in the evening)? What speed is your router connected at - does your router stay connected consistently or do you see disconnects)?

Homeplugs can also be prone to interference depending on the environment in the premises so speeds could be variable and ideally you would also do some tests from the home plug as well to see if they are performing properly.

If you have a couple of devices (preferably windows or mac) then you could do some file transfer tests between them which will tell you what your network speeds internally are like.

Wireless - https://www.thinkbroadband.com/_assets/speedtest/but...


Wired - https://www.thinkbroadband.com/_assets/speedtest/but...

Then I got a good wired one that was 57/17 followed by a horrendous wired one at 1.4 DL and 3.4 UL...I think but there is referden to TBX and burst etc, all double dutch to me.

xhttps://www.thinkbroadband.com/_assets/speedtest/button/1524667243656069455.png

In reply to a post by MHC:

So, what are your line stats?

Where are the wired speed test results?

If you want help, provide some detailed information for people to comment on.

It's hard work as the connection is so rank, my last reply took about 25 seconds to go up, I've added some stats there.

Bit like Audi saying to need to do an oil consumption test for 500 miles when the car is spluttering that bad you can't drive to the bottom of the street let alone 500 miles

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Checking for interference

Direct Ethernet test via a LAN port on the home hub (a) with other kit connected (b) with all wireless and power line kit turned off

here is any interesting one...

So hard wired there with nothing else, failed to test three times, two total failures and one it got to multipe thread download test (step 2 of 4) and just got no further.

Then immediately connected up the homeplug and wired into that and at times it went off the scale, ie off the rev counter hitting 100 plus and give a 74/19 result

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/_assets/speedtest/but...

Edit followed by a rubbish 19/7 or something...

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/_assets/speedtest/but...

Edited by deleted (Wed 25-Apr-18 16:03:45)

The stats we need are on the router. We need the actual line sync speed, noise margin (aka SNR or SNR margin) and attenuation at the minimum although link uptime would be helpful as well. If you don't know how to get them then let us know what router you have and we might be able to help (some routers don't display them).

The wireless test looks very odd as the x1 and x6 appear to be identical which with that result seems highly unlikely - hopefully MrS can look in the back end to see what is going on.

Those tests show there is something seriously wrong there. You really do need to test in the test socket with everything else turned off connected via a wire to compare just to rule out anything internal to the property.

In reply to a post by ian72:

The stats we need are on the router. We need the actual line sync speed, noise margin (aka SNR or SNR margin) and attenuation at the minimum although link uptime would be helpful as well. If you don't know how to get them then let us know what router you have and we might be able to help (some routers don't display them).

Its BT HH5 and have a HH6 that bought have been testing too, on the basis that its updated and has superior wi-fi and 4g filtering...can that be an issue too as we never used to have 4g in the area but thats changed as its brilliant now.

Downstream: 70932 kbps
Upstream: 19998 kbps

Cant find any noise levels

In reply to a post by ian72:

The wireless test looks very odd as the x1 and x6 appear to be identical which with that result seems highly unlikely - hopefully MrS can look in the back end to see what is going on.

Those tests show there is something seriously wrong there. You really do need to test in the test socket with everything else turned off connected via a wire to compare just to rule out anything internal to the property.

The first line socket that comes into the house, when ordered BT sent a guy (Kellys van) to come set it up, he put another socket in the hallway, looking back as mentioned he didnt seen that experienced, english not great and seriously lacking in tools...and has to be said common sense as he near put a 16mm hole through the wall to run a phone cable....

Both of those definitely have the stats (assuming you are using them as the modem as well and aren't using a separate modem). For the 5 it is via "Troubleshooting" and "Helpdesk". I can't remember where it is on the 6 but I know they are available.

In reply to a post by ian72:

The wireless test looks very odd as the x1 and x6 appear to be identical which with that result seems highly unlikely - hopefully MrS can look in the back end to see what is going on.

Those tests show there is something seriously wrong there. You really do need to test in the test socket with everything else turned off connected via a wire to compare just to rule out anything internal to the property.

This wireless test look any more normal?

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/_assets/speedtest/but...

What I still dont get is why can an upload be achieving a good speed but dl is way less than half.

EDIT - Regardless of these numbers...to post the above reply took over 30 seconds....that's the dark ages

Edited by deleted (Wed 25-Apr-18 17:58:51)

STOP THE WIRELESS TESTS

We need to establish if wired tests are good or not first.

Firstly you don't need to find the image link, you just press post the page URL

e.g. https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/15246686407...

This is a test you appear to have run but you have not linked to and is what would be classed as a good speed test, i.e. both download tests are similar speeds and get to their average speed quickly and hold it.

Figuring out what you did at the time of that test or what was not happening is the key, but it shows things do work, just need to find out what the variables are.

In reply to a post by ian72:

Both of those definitely have the stats (assuming you are using them as the modem as well and aren't using a separate modem). For the 5 it is via "Troubleshooting" and "Helpdesk". I can't remember where it is on the 6 but I know they are available.

Thanks got it tucked away....

6. Data Rate: 19998 / 70932
7. Maximum Data Rate: 20021 / 71478
8. Noise Margin: 6.1 / 3.4
9. Line Attenuation: 16.7 / 15.7
10. Signal Attenuation: 0.0 / 0.0